Mystery kids one-shots
by e7y1
Summary: Dipper, Mabel, Coraline, Norman, Raz, and more join together to discover the secrets of the strange... or just goof around, I mean, why wouldn't they?
1. HallowMinds

Wirt never really cared about Halloween.  
Sure you would get free candy, but he just always has had bad luck on this day.  
Whether it would rain so his makeup would run or he would drop all of his candy in the mud; needless to say he was fine when he couldn't trick or treat anymore.  
But his bad luck didn't stop with trick-or-treating.  
Nine years ago his father left him on Halloween, as well as last year he and his brother took a... trip, to what was called the Unknown.  
And they almost died.  
Many times.  
So when Wirt was told he had to take his brother trick-or-treating, he was less than thrilled.

"Mom, you know I don't like Halloween!" He complained over the phone.

"Wirt, we would take Greg trick-or-treating instead if we could, but work just won't let us go till late tonight."

"Are you sure there is no way you could come home sooner?"

"No honey."

Wirt sighed, "Ok fine, I'll take him."

Wirt could hear his step-father in the background. "Tell them to stay away from the woods!"

"I heard him mom, we'll stay away from the woods..."

"Ok honey, love you."

"Love you too mom, bye." Wirt hung up the phone and sighed, they hadn't planned on going into the woods in the first place but now they just couldn't stop getting warned about it.

Greg came into the kitchen dressed up completely in green, Jason hopping after him. "Wirt! How do you like my frog costume?"

Wirt nodded, at least his brother liked Halloween. "It's nice Greg. So you ready to go? I'm taking you trick-or-treating."

Greg thought for a second "I'm ready, but you're not! You need a costume!"

"I don't need a costume Greg, I'm just taking you around the block."

"But Wirt, it's Halloween! You have to wear a costume! Here you can be a elephant, you are great at elephant noises!" Greg went into the cabinet and pulled out the tea kettle he used for his elephant costume last year and went to hand it to Wirt.

"I am not going be a elephant Greg."

"But you would be a great elephant!" Greg tried to put the kettle on Wirt's head, so Wirt started straightening up and leaning back but after a minute, Wirt stumbled backwards and fell over.

Greg put the kettle onto Wirt's head "Haha, now you have your elephant hat on! Now make a elephant noise!"

Wirt smiled. "Pfvvvt."

"Hm, you need to sound a bit happier."

Wirt took the kettle off. "Well maybe I shouldn't be an elephant then."

"Yeah, you should be a gnome again!"

Wirt looked at Greg for a second. "How about we just go."

...

Frog Greg and Gnome Wirt walked through their suburban neighborhood, stopping at every house with a light on so Greg could get some tasty candy.

At the moment Wirt thought Halloween was okay.  
Nothing horrible has happened yet, but he was waiting for it. Enough Halloween's has started out smooth before candy was ruined or knees scraped.  
But Greg looked joyful, he was getting lots of candy.

Wirt stood at the end of the driveway watching Greg ring the doorbell when he heard someone call his name.

"Wirt? Is that you?"

Wirt turned to see a familiar blue haired girl dressed as a witch, as well as a spiky haired boy dressed as a zombie.

"Hey Coraline, Norman."

"Hey Wirt." Norman said.

"What are you doing out here?" Coraline asked.

"I am taking my brother trick-or-treating, you?"

Coraline held her bag up. "Trick-or-treating, mind if we joined you?"

"Not at all."

Greg came running back from the house. "Hey Coraline, hey Norman! Do you like my frog costume? I made it myself!"

Norman and Coraline nodded. "It's cool." Norman said with a small smile.

The four of them went house to house getting candy and toothbrushes and whatever (skipping old lady Daniels house of course;) when they came upon a haunted house.

"Can we go in?" Greg asked.

"Of course." Norman said.

"It can't be worse than anything we've seen." Coraline added.

"Can't argue with that." Wirt replied.

The four of them went in, it was _nothin_g compared to the Beldam, Aggie, or the Beast.  
Not to say that some people didn't jump a few times.  
When they were about halfway through, Greg ran ahead and around a corner.  
Guess who wasn't there when the other three turned the corner.

"Greg?" Wirt called. "Greg! Where are you?" Next thing Wirt knew he had a piercing pain in his head and he fell to the ground unconscious.

...

Wirt slowly blinked his eyes open, grimacing at the massive headache.  
He was about to rub his head when he noticed that his arms were strapped to a dentist chair, as well as his legs.  
He appeared to be in what looked like a run down lab.  
There was a table in the middle with medical tools, a long table against the far wall with test tubes and blueprints.  
And there were many shelves filled with ...brains ...what?

To his right he saw Norman just now waking up, next to him Coraline was wrestling with her restraints.  
To Wirt's left there was Greg who was talking to someone who's back was facing him.

"You see frogs are really smart, they can sing if they want!"

"I see. But I am more interested in _your_ brain child."

"Well my brain is a muscle, my teacher at school said that!"

"I know that child, but that brain of yours needs to be put to good use! Luckily, I have just the solution for you."

"I think my brain does have a good use."

"Ah, I see the rest of you are awake!" The man stepped into Wirt's view.  
He was truly a sight, he had a pointy nose and his eyes were two different colors, one orange one green, not to mention the floral shower cap and cybernetic arm!

"You see children I have a proposal for you that you will surely not decline."

"What if I just save you the trouble of explaining it and decline now?" Coraline said.

"I said you will not decline!"

"Well I think we can probably listen to it." Norman said, his eyes were darting around the room seeing things that Wirt couldn't, and probably didn't want to see.

"Well children, you all have something magnificent in common, brains; though your brains could be doing much more than what they are doing now! With this powder I can remove your brains from your head and they can be used for much more important things than what they are restricted to doing now."

"Wait." Wirt started. "Isn't out brains kind of doing important stuff right now? Like, controlling all of our bodies functions to keep us alive?"

"Your bodies will be fine." The crazed man said. "And there are only some very minor side effects."

"Like what?" Coraline asked.

"Well, they don't matter. So who wants to go first?"

Silence followed that question, I mean, who would want to volunteer for their brain to be removed.  
After a minute the man spoke up.

"How about you young child? You ready to help with the advancement of science?"

Greg looked at the man. "I uh, kinda like my brain."

"Well don't worry about that, you won't miss it at all!" The man pointed the cybernetic arm at Greg. "This will only hurt till your brains comes out."

Wirt hated Halloween and was sure that Halloween hated him back.  
At what point in anyone's lives would they have the slightest chance of being kidnapped in a haunted house and see their brothers brain be sneezed out.  
Yes sneezed.  
Green powder came out of the cybernetic arm and Greg sneezed his brain out.

Wirt's eyes went wide with horror and he paled, watching the man stick Greg's brain in a jar with liquid.  
He heard Coraline next to him thrash against the restraints shouting at the man to give Greg his brain back.  
She used some very colorful words.

Norman seemed to be the most level headed one at the moment. "S-sir he is just a kid, his brain shouldn't be fully developed yet. Maybe you should just give it back?"

The man walked to Norman. "But of course his brain shouldn't be fully matured yet, that is what makes his brain special! If I just used fully developed brains then I wouldn't learn the different things between the different brain stages. Now your brain should be next."

He lifted his cybernetic arm, Norman quickly closed his eyes and turned his head away; but the man was interrupted by a voice coming from behind Wirt.

"You're really back to this Loboto? Hold your breath Spiky!"

Norman held his breath as the spray hit his face; and a kid in a green sweater with a brown jacket and red goggles rushed into view.

"Razputin, nice for you to join us!" Loboto said. "I am sure your brain would work perfectly for this experiment!"

"You're not back to those tanks right? Cause' that experiment kinda flopped."

Loboto straightened his arm at Norman who held his breath again, hopefully this chat will be quick.

"Of course not! I am just making brain powered robot minions who can figure out and act upon everyone's worst fears!"

"I am pretty sure that experiment needs to stop. " Raz raised a hand to his head while straightening the other towards Loboto.

"You really shouldn't try to blast me at the moment Raz." Loboto gestured towards Norman and spritzed him again.  
He was starting to look a bit purple

Raz kept his hands up and after a moment Loboto's cybernetic arm shot up; Norman took the chance to gasp for air.  
Raz then went and kicked Loboto towards the center of the room.  
Raz quickly pulled a wrist strap off of Norman and turned his attention back to Loboto who had stood himself back up.  
Loboto tried to spray at Raz who rolled out of the way, whenever Raz got close to Loboto, Loboto would actually try to punch him but neither of them landed many blows.

Once Norman got himself undone he quickly went to Coraline and helped her. When she was freed she went to try to help Raz while Norman moved onto Wirt.

"Okay freak, you messed with the wrong kids!" Coraline said.

"Blue girl! Get out of here, I've got this!" Raz flipped out of the way of Loboto.

"You're not getting all the fun goggles!" Coraline held her breath and swung at Loboto's face.

Raz smirked. "It's gogglar."

Immediately after Wirt was out of his restraints he ran over to Greg.  
Greg looked pale and his blue eyes were unfocused.

"Greg, thank goodness your alive! Please tell me that you feel ok!?"

"T.V?"

"What? No, well, maybe later, but are you feeling ok?"

"T.V."

Wirt bit his lip, "Greg, can you please say something other than T.V?" Greg just looked past Wirt with unfocused eyes.

Norman who had started on Greg's binds looked towards Wirt with sympathetic eyes. "I don't think he can Wirt. The ghosts, they have been telling me that he is not able to focus on anything besides T.V, and even then saying focus is a stretch. I'm sorry Wirt."

Wirt looked down for a second then undid the rest of Greg's bindings. "At least he is alive;" Wirt said quietly.

Wirt started to lift his brother onto his back when He heard a shout coming from the fight.

"Well at least I can get away with this one brain!" Loboto shouted.  
Raz tried to use telekinesis to pull the brain out of Loboto's grip, but to no avail.

"Darn it!" Raz cursed and ran after Loboto, Coraline following. Wirt looked to the table to find that Greg's brain was not there.

"N-Norman?" Wirt said.

"Yeah Wirt?"

"I think the brain Loboto took was Greg's."

...

Halloween is mental and physical torture.  
Just... stay far away from it, not that you really can.  
It will be like that fly that just won't leave you alone, bugging you, calling for attention until you smush it, but even then you will have fly guts on you until you wash it off.

Norman and Wirt were trying to catch up to Raz and Coraline, but those two were _fast! _

Apparently they were in a abandoned warehouse fixed up to become a lab.  
The room they entered was the big open room in every stereotypical warehouse.  
Loboto had climbed up some stairs on the far side of the room that led to a fenced catwalk that stretched across the length of the room and connected to a door on the other end.  
In the center of the room was a armored vehicle in a sort of dome shape, it also had what looked like a satellite dish on it.

Coraline and Raz were making there way up the stairs two at a time after Loboto.

"Give up now Loboto! You are running out of building!" Raz shouted once he reached the top.

"Ah but Razputin, you are in _my _building! So only I truly know how much building is left!"

"How is this even worth arguing about!?" Coraline said, she started running towards Loboto who ran into the room on the end.  
The two kids on the catwalk ran into the room.

Wirt and Norman heard shouting and crashing in that room.  
The boys looked at each other then at the stairs with intentions to climb them when the big machine started making a whirring noise.

Raz poked his head out of the upstairs room, his eyes wide with concern. "Cover your ears!"

Norman immediately did as he was told.  
Wirt shoved his gnome hat over Greg's ears then covered one of his own ears with one hand, his other ear shoved against his shoulder.

The dish on the domed machine turned, releasing a ear splitting screech.  
Wirt and Norman pressed against their ears harder, gradually getting closer to the ground.  
When Wirt's knees hit the ground he saw darkness. The screech was gone, Greg was gone, everyone, everything, gone.

...

"What? Where, am I?"

Wirt started hearing the sound of wood chopping, he wandered over and saw the Woodsman.

"Woodsman? What are you doing here?"

The Woodsman kept chopping, not noticing the boy.

"Woodsman?" Suddenly Wirt heard a deep, smooth, spine chilling voice behind him.

"He can't hear you Wirt. He is fully my servant now."

Wirt quickly turned around, his eyes wide, he looked up at the tall figure of the Beast.

"Y-you're still here!? I thought the Woodsman would finish you off!?"

The Beast slowly shook his head. "You can't just 'finish me off.' How do you think I have survived so long? My life is connected to more things than just the lantern."

The Beast snapped his fingers and some wooden vines wrapped around Wirt's feet.

"I have grown more powerful Wirt, I can turn you into a edelwood at will."

"H-how!? You should've become weaker once the lantern was out!"

"Who said anything about the lantern being out." The Beast lifted his hand, the lantern dangled from his fingertips.

"But? How?"

The Beast lifted his other hand. "Now I am needing some more oil for this lantern, you should do perfectly."

Vines wrapped around Wirt's arms and they started spreading across his body.  
Wirt struggled frantically but there was no give.  
It started to hurt to struggle.  
Oil started to seep out onto the branches.  
Wirt's chest started to feel tension from the branches squeezing in.  
The Beast started to sing.

Then he heard the goggled boy.

"Gnomey, don't struggle."

Wirt swung his head around to see Raz on his left, his goggles were on.

"Raz!" Wirt squeaked, he cleared his throat before continuing."You need to get out of here! How did you even get here!?"

Raz looked at the Beast who was barely visible in the lantern light.  
His head had branches for antlers while his humanoid body seemed to be made out of contorted wooden faces calling out for help.

"What did you see to be scared of this guy. I mean, that's gross."

"Razputin." The Beast started. "I am the keeper of these woods; you shall join Wirt here in becoming a glorious tree for oil."

Wirt kept struggling against the vines, they almost completely covered his whole body beneath the neck, his feet had become a stump.

"Beast just leave Raz be!" Wirt said frantically. "He would only make a small tree!"

"But Wirt, all trees start small before they grow into the big and mighty ones."

"But you don't need him if you have me!"

"I will need every tree eventually."

Wirt opened his mouth to respond but he just coughed, the vines were getting really tight.

Raz looked at the Beast. "Look I see you have a thing about gardening, I get that, but do you _really _have to turn Wart here into a tree?"

The Beast looked at Raz and snapped his fingers, vines sprang up around his feet but Raz burned them.

Raz smirked, "it's gonna' be harder than that to restrain me."

The Beast scowled and launched a hand straight up, vines sprang up from the ground around Raz.  
Raz sprung his shield up around him; the vines bounced off and before they attempted to constrict again, he burned them.

Raz then shot a psi-blast at the Beast who nimbly dodged.

"Just give into the darkness Razputin."

"Just let go of Wart's mind Beast."

Wirt looked at Raz questionably, 'let go of his mind?'

Raz flipped over the Beast and shot him with fire.  
The Beast shouted and dropped the lantern, he frantically swiped, and patted his head, trying to put the fire out.

Raz shoved the Beast over. "You just got roasted!"

When the Beast hit the ground he disappeared into the darkness.  
The vines and branches stopped growing and loosened up around Wirt, who's eyes were frantically scanning for the Beast.

Raz started pulling at the branches to get Wirt out; he started falling forward so Raz caught him and guided him down.

Wirt took a shaky breath "he, he's gone right?"

"Yes but, he never really was here."

Wirt wearily looked up at Raz. "What do you mean? You fought him."

"I am in your psyche Wart, you and Spiky were hit with Loboto's fear thing; I am here to get you out of your own mind."

"So none of this was real?"

"Nope." He popped the 'p.'

Wirt sat there a moment, taking it all in. "Wirt, my name is Wirt."

"Wart?"

Wirt's eyebrows lowered slightly. "Wirt."

"Oh sorry!"

Wirt waved it off. "It's fine, and 'Spiky' is Norman."

Raz nodded. "Got it, so, are you ready to come out?"

Wirt nodded. "Do I just, wake up?"

"Yup. I'll give your brain some privacy and enter Sp-Norman's brain."

"Thank you."

Raz smirked and adjusted his goggles. "I am just doing my job. Wow that _is_ cool sounding to say!"

Wirt smiled and stood up while Raz left his mind.  
Soon after everything faded.

...

Wirt slowly opened a eye, their was the blurry image of a blue haired girl.

Wirt groaned sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He blinked looking around, 'yup still in the warehouse.'

"Are you feeling okay Wirt?"

Wirt turned his head towards Coraline. "Are _you_ feeling okay?"

"You are _not_ allowed to worry about me, 'till I am done worrying about _you_!"

Wirt winced. "Can I worry about Greg?"

Coraline rolled her eyes. "Can you stop ignoring the question?"

He gave a small smile. "I feel okay, my ears are kind of ringing though." ' Not to mention the headache' he thought.

Coraline returned the smile. "You are allowed to worry about people again."

"Greg."

"He is over there. Raz said that he can get Greg's brain back into his body shortly. He seemed more worried about you and Norman."

"Why would he be more worried about us?"

"He said something about 'waiting too long could break your psyche.'"

Wirt nodded. "Makes sense, where's Loboto?"

Coraline looked towards the window. "He just barely escaped, the psychonauts are hunting him down though, he should be captured within the hour."

Wirt heard stirring from where Raz was kneeling by Norman.  
Raz looked over at Wirt, lifting his goggles up.

"Norman should be waking up in just a moment, I'll get to work on Greg."

Wirt nodded then sat over by Norman.

Norman woke up. "H-hey Wirt." He said while rubbing his eyes.

"Hey Norman, you feeling okay?"

"Yeah."

"You have a headache don't you?"

"Yeah. Where's Loboto?"

Wirt explained to Norman what Coraline explained to him.

"So Wirt, what did you see?"

That question caught Wirt off guard. "I, I saw, the Beast." He winced. "What did you see?"

"I saw Aggie but, she was different, she was back to her, vengeful, self."

Wirt nodded then he heard a young voice across the room. "What happened?"

Wirt stumbled up and ran over to Greg, embracing him.

"Greg! You, you're speaking!"

"Is that weird guy still here, because I don't want him taking my brain?"

Wirt pulled away from Greg and shook his head.

Raz tapped Wirt on the shoulder. "We should get going, I don't think any of you want free healthcare."

...

Halloween, Wirt can take it or leave it.  
It has its ups and it's downs, just like any other day.  
You can make a friend and go on some adventures that you can talk to the twins about, or you can almost lose your brain.  
And there is candy.


	2. Those moments

Norman was tired.

Just, tired of it all.

He was tired of hearing his family complain about him.

He was tired of his classmates making fun of him.

He was tired of the towns people looking at him weird.

He just wished that it would all stop.

So, he figured he would leave, no one wanted him anyways.

The night before he would leave he packed his things in his school backpack and left a note on his nightstand in case if someone decided to check on him, though he doubted anyone would.

He didn't know where he would go, or if he would stay with anyone. Heck, maybe he could just pitch a tent in the woods. He'll just figure that out later.

...

Norman got up and got ready like he was going to school as usual, but when he left his house, he went in the exact opposite direction.

He walked with his head down, maybe no one would notice him for once.

Well there is a issue with walking with your head down.

You don't see around you as well.

"Norman, watch out!"

Norman stopped short a bit too late because in just a second both himself and a boy in a blue pine tree hat were on the ground.

"Norman? Oh, sorry man. I wasn't paying attention."

Norman looked up at Mabel, who was the one who tried to warn him, and Dipper who apparently had been walking with his nose in his usual red leather bound journal.

"It's, fine Dipper. I wasn't either." Norman stood up and offered a hand to Dipper, who took it.

"So Norman, what are you doing walking this way? School is that way." Mabel asked before gasping. "Are you finally going to ask Dipper to walk to school with you!? I could run ahead if you want to be alone with him!"

Norman looked away to avoid Mabel seeing him blush. "I- no. I was just going this way instead, just trying something different." _It isn't like Dipper likes me anyways..._

Dipper looked at him questionably. "But Mabel and I take this way because it is the only way to school from that direction."

"We won't know for certain if no one tries though right?"

"We have tried, several times. Norman what's up?"

"Nothing is up. I am just going this way and I will see you two later." Norman walked around the twins leaving them looking at each other confused.

...

Norman had set up a little tent close to the edge of the woods. Not to far in to where you would get lost, but just deep enough to where it was kind of obscured by foliage.

It was quiet.

Very quiet.

Until a ghost showed up.

The ghost had graying hair that poked out of his black top hat, and a short mustache. He wore a long black jacket that had a cut clean through the side of as if he was stabbed...which he could have been.

"Why Norman Babcock? What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be at school." He spoke with a posh British accent.

"Not today sir, I am setting up my new home."

"I do say, this is a smaller home than what you are used to!"

"Yes but it will work. I am not going back."

"Whatever you say boy, but you will miss it."

"No I won't sir. And even if I did, no one else would care."

"But Norman, don't you have those friends? You call yourselves the Mystery kids do you not?"

Norman paused looking down. "They don't care sir. I am a freak, why would they care?"

...

After school, Coraline walked along the forest trails looking for any signs of Norman.  
When Norman didn't show up for first period, Dipper instantly voiced his worries, and by lunch the rest of the mystery kids had formed a plan to find him.

Dipper and Mabel would check in the town while Wybie and Neil would check his house. Coraline would be left with the woods, though she promised to stick to the paths, for the most part. They would meet back in a couple hours at the front of the diner.

Coraline was considering heading to the diner when she heard someone talking.

...To nothing.

_That's him._

Coraline followed the voice through the bushes till she spotted a simple tent with a red hooded boy sitting in front of it, probably talking to a ghost.

"I am fine here sir... My parents wouldn't worry about it... Why would anyone worry about it?"

"Because we care about you Babcock." Coraline walked out of the bushes crossing her arms.

Norman looked up at her quickly, surprise written across his face. "Coraline? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing Babcock. You really worried the others, not to mention me."

Norman looked at her confused. "Really, why?"

Coraline sighed and sat herself down next to Norman. "Well, if someone like, a close friend or a relative goes missing, it tends to raise questions in people like, are you okay?" She looked at Norman, expecting a answer.

"I'm fine... how are you?"

"Babcock do not, turn this around at me. I know something is wrong with you, I want to know what it is."

"Nothing, it really is nothing Coraline. I am just going to stay in this tent for awhile."

Coraline's expression softened a bit. "Norman, you know you can tell me anything right?"

Norman looked down. "I know that. I just don't want to talk about anything right now."

Coraline looked at the simple set up around her. "So, this is your place right now? Looks small."

"Well, it is just me so I don't need much."

"Reminds me of when I tried to run away once."

"You tried to run away?"

Coraline nodded. "I wasn't happy with my parents, they always seemed to ignore me, so, I ran away. I soon found it lonely though, I ended up missing stuff I never thought I would miss like my dad's cooking or my mom's lame attitude; I was actually only gone for a day... I was nine."

Norman thought for a second. "It is very quiet."

Coraline nodded. "That, it is."

"Are the others actually worried about me?"

"Why wouldn't they be?"

"...Because I am weird."

"Norman, you saw how the others reacted, they loved it, especially Dipper."

"But he is just like that. He, probably sees me as some crazy thing he needs to solve..."

"...He, was actually the first one to be worried about you."

Norman looked up at Coraline, his cheeks tinged red. "Really?"

"Of course, I mean, he probably thinks of you two as more than friends."

Norman's face grew even redder. "You, mean..."

Coraline smiled. "There is only one way to find out right?"

"...I guess, I should probably pack up my camp then."

Coraline got up. "Good, I was running out of ideas."

Norman nodded and started taking down his tent; he didn't want to disappoint Dipper.


	3. Taken: Gnome

_**(Warning for eye horror)**_

Five-year-old Wirt was confused. He had found a small door in the corner of his living room while playing that had a magnificent blue tunnel; he had followed that tunnel to only find his living room but, it looked slightly different in a kind of unsettling way.  
He ended up hearing the sound of plates hitting each other in the kitchen and his curiosity got the best of him.

Wirt peeked around the corner to see the all too familiar kitchen with a women who looked just like his mother but much happier and humming a cheerful tune.

"M-mommy?"

She turned around to reveal that her normally blue eyes were replaced with big black buttons.

"Wirt, I'm so glad you're here. Are you ready for lunch?"

"Wh-who are you?"

"Why dear, I'm your Other Mother."

"O-other Mother?" Wirt pointed up at her face. "You, have buttons. Wh-where are your eyes."

"Why dear, every other family has them; now how about you go tell your father that lunch is ready."

"Fa-ther? D-daddy is here? But, he, he died…"

"No dear, this is your Other Father. He is perfectly safe and upstairs; he has been very excited to see you."

"He, has?" Wirt looked in the direction of the stairs, his eyes watery.

"Of course Wirt, why wouldn't he?"

Wirt stared at the stairs a second longer before running to where his dad's old office would be, the Other mother smirking as he went.

Wirt peered in to see what looked like his dad at his desk reading. "D-daddy?"

The man perked up and turned to face Wirt, moving his brown hair from his green eyes which were replaced with big black buttons. He had a big smile on his warm face. "Wirt! How are you doing?"

Wirt stared at him for a few seconds, blinking a couple of times before running up to him and hugging him tight. "I, I missed you…"

He hugged the child close. "I missed you too Wirt, but now we can be together."

Wirt nodded into the man's stomach, the shirt starting to become wet. "I, I can only be here for a little bit I-I think."

"Hey, don't cry. You can keep coming back as much as you want. I have a bunch of the tapes you'd love to listen to."

Wirt looked up at his father look alike with a tear streaked face and a small smile. "You, you do?"

He nodded and started looking in a desk drawer. "I think Chicky is around here somewhere?"

Wirt let go and looked in it too. "Chicky? Really?"

"Yeah, here it is." He showed Wirt the tape.

"You do have it! Can we-… oh, Other Mommy said it was lunch time."

"Well then let's eat." He smiled and picked up a grinning Wirt.

….

Six-year-old Wirt had been coming back and forth a lot from his normal home to his other home.  
His normal home seemed to be getting increasingly worse with his mother and new step-dad not really caring for him; he was also going to get a brother who was probably going to take the last bit of attention his mother would give. This resorted to him spending more and more time in the other home, even spending whole days there, but he would always have to return home to his normal parents.

One night, Wirt was having a nice dinner with his other parents, laughing and talking like usual when the Other mother looked over at the Other Father. "Honey, I think Wirt is ready."

The Other father looked up, his smile seeming to betray his concerned eyebrows. "Are, you sure? This would be a big decision for him to make."

"Dear, he is quite old enough."

Wirt looked between the two. "What, am I old enough to do?"

"Well Wirt, you know how both me and your father have button eyes? Eventually there is a time when the children must get them as well."

"Like Jason and Sara?"

"Just like them."

"How, how do I get them?"

The Other mother smiled, pulling out a small box and set it before Wirt. He opened it up to reveal two black shiny buttons, and a needle with thread.

Wirt looked down at them, a feeling of dread overcoming him. "I, I have to have them s-sewn in?"

"Why of course dear, that is how buttons work."

"Do, I have to, to have them?"

"Well, you can't stay here if you don't have them. You have been wanting to stay overnight here yes? Maybe even for good? You need the buttons to do that. Of course, if you want to go back to your other home…"

"N-no! I, I don't want to go back. You and, and daddy are much nicer to me."

"So you will accept the buttons?"

Wirt paused for a second, biting his lip, before nodding. "I, I'll take them."

The Other mother's smile grew to a grin. "Oh that's wonderful dear! Once they are sewn in I have a big surprise to show you!" She nodded to the Other father who opened his arms for Wirt to come over to him.

Wirt climbed up into his lap and the Other father held him in a tight hug while the Other mother started her work.

….

Wirt hugged the Other father close, his head throbbing. He hated this feeling so much, but the Other mother looked so happy, he liked making his mother happy.

"I know it hurts dear, but now you can stay with us forever. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Oh, that surprise I promised you, do you want to see it now?"

Wirt waited for a second before he nodded and climbed down from his father's lap. Wirt was slightly confused as to why he was frowning, he usually looked so happy and, shouldn't he be happy with Wirt being able to stay?

The Other mother scooped Wirt up and started walking down a hallway to a mirror, this mirror was very off place from his home but it doesn't have to be exactly the same.

While she was walking, Wirt noticed that he seemed to be getting higher up and that Mother's grip was getting tighter. He looked up to see that his mother's usually pretty smile was now all cracked.

She no longer looked like his mommy.

She was a monster.

Wirt cried out and wriggled but her grip held tight.

"Why are you fighting me dear? You wanted to stay forever."

"What, you, you look scary!"

"Dear, that is not what you say to your mother. That is very mean."

"But you are scary! You're not my mommy!"

She stopped in front of the mirror and the two of them looked at each other through it.  
The Other mother tall and spidery looking with a creepy smile on her face, while little Wirt looked horrified and scared.

"Now dear, you should really apologize."

"N-no! I, I want daddy!"

She cooed and spoke with a sense of false sympathy. "Daddy? Well I'm sorry but, you aren't going to be seeing him for a long time, but you know what, I think you should still get your surprise, wouldn't you like that?"

"N-no… I want to, to go home."

"Oh dear, you gave that up long ago."

She tossed Wirt in through the mirror, which was really a portal that lead to a dark, cramped room… filled with other children.

Wirt took one look at them and ran back to where the mirror was. He pushed and banged against it, calling out for his father till his voice was hoarse, tears streaming from his eyes.

But, nobody came.

_**(This was inspired from Button kids written by Whitelightning999 on Tumblr. I honestly didn't realize I hadn't shared this one here!)**_

post/178767054602/button-kids-part-1


	4. Taken: Freedom

(So I know that this is supposed to be one-shots but I made a part 2 to Taken.

Fair warning, it's got the eye horror and... you know how the Beldam tries to eat people?)

Gnome heard the house groan and he knew the mirror would be open. He reached his hand out to feel the warmth of the new house.

He doesn't know how long he has been in this room for but he knew he at one point had to ditch his shoes because they hurt too much.

He has been wanting to be free. Wanting to see the… something. He didn't remember all too much about his own home but he knew he wanted to go see it.

So, he planned on escaping.

He knew that his Other mother would be busy with the new kid and so that would be his best time to escape.

He had to make sure he didn't wait too long this time either.

If he waits too long, he would have to wait for the next kid.

Gnome looked to the other kids and gave a small wave before slipping outside the mirror.

Gnome felt his bare feet step on soft carpet and he looked around taking in all the colors. Everything was so much _brighter_ and warmer and he just had to take it all in for- no wait, he had to find the exit.

Gnome took a breath and crept around the house while trying to be as quiet as he could. He could hear mother in the kitchen cooking something that smelled _so good_ that he wanted to taste _so badly_ but he knew mother would be mad if she found him.

He didn't like making mother mad.

Mother is terrifying when she is mad.

He looked around for the door until he finally found it by the entryway under the stairs. He smiled slightly as he inched towards it, trying not to draw attention to himself for the kitchen was _right in sight of the door._

He came so close when suddenly the door started to open from the other side. Gnome quickly looked around before ducking into the nook the front door was in.

"Hello?"

Gnome peeked around the corner to see a little boy with an oddly triangular shaped head with a mess of red hair. He had a white shirt and blue overalls and the biggest eyes filled with curiosity and confusion.

The other mother came out from the kitchen with short red hair pulled back in a headband and looked at the little kid with her big black button eyes. She wore a simple yellow shirt with white sleeves and brown capri pants. She smiled down at the young boy with her sweet smile that made Gnome feel jealous for a moment but he quickly shook his head. He had to focus.

"Hello dear. I'm so glad you finally came."

"Who are you?"

"Why dear, I am your Other mother."

"I have two mothers?"

"Of course, every child has them." The Other mother looked over for just a second but that was all she needed.

She saw Gnome.

She kept her smile up but now it was forced. "Now dear, how about you go eat, I have to deal with something outside real quick."

The small boy nodded and ran off to go eat.

Gnome gulped and tried to run but the Other mother was too fast. In a matter of moments she crossed the entryway and grabbed Gnome's shirt.

She dragged the child outside and dropped him in the driveway. "Dearie, what are you doing out of your room?" She spoke with such venom in her fake voice that if it was a bite, Gnome would be dead.

Gnome sat there in the driveway looking up at mother. "I-I wanted to, to see you mother. I-I'm sorry for what I, I have said."

She tilted her head at him curiously. "And you chose today? The day that you know I spend a lot of time with my new sweet child?"

"I-I'm sorry…"

She furrowed her eyebrows. "You should be you selfish _brat."_

"I, I-"

"You just want all of my attention for yourself do you not?"

"No I-"

"You really shouldn't have come out but you know what? I might as well do something with you now."

Gnome's eyebrows raised hopefully. "R-really?"

She nodded. "Yes. Now, come here sweetie. It would make it much easier for mother."

Gnome nodded and got up coming over to her timidly.

"There we go sweetie. Now stay still…" The other mother's body slowly morphed into her normal, spidery, cracked form and she quickly went to grab Gnome but he panicked and backed away.

"Wh-what are you doing mother?"

"Why _sweetie,_ I am just wanting to help you."

"H-how?"

The Other mother crept closer to him with an air of hunger. "I just want to relieve you of your misery. You feel ashamed right? Guilty? Upset? I can stop that now. You just have to let me deal with it."

If button eyes could widen in fear, they would be a whole new size. "H-how?"

The Other mother sighed heavily. "Must you always question your mother? That makes me very upset sweetie."

Gnome hesitantly stepped backwards. "I-I'm s-sorry. I, I just w-want to know."

Before she could say anything more the two heard a scream from inside. They looked to see the triangular boy to be staring at them wide eyed before running.

They heard a door slam near the entrance.

They were still for a moment before _she_ turned to Gnome enraged. "You! You just made my child run! You made me lose a new meal!"

"M-meal…"

"Yes you _stupid brat!_ I won't be having a good meal in a long time now so I guess I'll have to settle with just you!"

Gnome stood there petrified for a moment before the Other mother lunged. That's when Gnome found the sense to move.

He ran.

He ran as fast as his legs could take him and he ran inside, slamming the door behind him.

Before Gnome got halfway to the tunnel the front door _swung_ open hard and _slammed_ against the wall.

He didn't look back though as he went to crawl into the tunnel. He went as fast as he could but the inside looked dark and gray with old toys and cobwebs everywhere.

He could hear his mother yelling at him to come back. He heard _his_ mother though, not whatever the other kid's was. She sounded like she was pleading and sad.

She was begging for Gnome to come back.

She was saying she'd _die_ if he didn't come back.

Gnome willed himself to keep going.

If he stalled _he'd_ die but, she was sad… He shook his head and made it out just as an inhuman scream echoed through the tunnel.

The Other mother was crawling through at inhuman speeds but Gnome quickly closed the door and pressed his body against it as he heard thuds from the Other mother trying to free herself.

Gnome quickly scanned the room for the key and luckily the little button key was in reach and thus, he locked his mother in.

He relaxed and looked up to see a little boy staring back at him with wide eyes, looking like he might cry.

Gnome watched him for a moment before giving a small smile. "Y-you're s-safe now okay? J-just, don't use the, the key."

The little boy slowly nodded his head.

"...I-I'm going to go now. S-sorry for scaring you."

The boy nodded and pointed to the front door.

Button nodded and stepped outside to see… something round and white in the sky.

It was really pretty actually.

(So, this is basically now really an au of Whitelightning999's Button kids au which I _really recommend_ reading. Thank you so much for reading this and trust me, I do have 10 stories in the works... I just need to finish them.

post/178767054602/button-kids-part-1

^Link to Whitelightning999 story!)


	5. Reunion (fixed the bug)

**This** **takes place years before most of the kids meet each other and their respective movies hasn't happened yet.**

Why Coraline had to go to this family reunion, she didn't know.

What she did know was that it was going to be _boring_, all that is going to happen is a bunch of people that she didn't know, was going to go all "goo goo" over her.

She despised that idea.

She also despised this drive; stuffy, cramped, smelly, it is every travelers worst nightmare. Coraline just gazed out the window at the endless free trees, wishing for this torture to end.

"Coraline." She turned her gaze to her mother who was looking at her from the front passenger seat.

"You can at least act excited."

Coraline rolled her eyes. "For what exactly, meeting a bunch of people who supposedly know _everything _about me while I know nothing about them?"

"Well you get to meet your cousins, some I believe are your age." Her dad brought up.

"Perry and his family are supposed to be there, I haven't seen them in years."

Coraline sighed and slumped down in her seat, her mom was about to start talking about them again.

Uncle Perry was her brother so she was excited to see them again.

Coraline looked back out the window.

….

"Wait, is that a lake to swim in?!"

They were just now driving into the park the reunion was to be held at.

It was very…. green. Green grass, green trees, you know, a park. There was some picnic pavilions and a kiddie playground with a slide, some swings and a low see saw, but the most amazing thing to Coraline was the lake.

It was a bright shimmering blue and it had a tall slide, she knew swimming was allowed to happen in it because there was like, twenty people in it.

When they parked the car Coraline started digging around in the bags for her swimsuit. Maybe this reunion wouldn't be _s_o bad.

"What are you doing?" Her mom asked.

"Getting my swimsuit."

"Don't worry about that right now, we will come back for it later."

"But mom, I want to swim!"

"Coraline we need to say hello to everyone first."

"But mom, can't I just swim for awhile first, I'll stay safe!"

"No Coraline."

"Listen to your mother Coraline." Dad now found it appropriate to step in.

"Ugh, fine!" Coraline closed the trunk and crossed her arms exasperated.

….

'Oh Coraline look how big you are! Oh Coraline I haven't seen you since you were a baby! Oh you look just like your father!' (how _doe_s that even _work_!?) Coraline was tired of all that, she was just about to sit down at a picnic table when her mom pulled her over to some other people, a _bigge_r man with black hair and some stubble, a skinny woman with blond hair, and a very pink uninterested girl, also with blond hair.

"Coraline, this is uncle Perry, aunt Sandra, and your cousin Courtney, wait where is Norman?"

Courtney without looking up from her phone pointed over to a spiky haired boy who seemed to be talking to a, tree?

Her mom started talking, seemingly forgetting about Coraline so she thought 'why not,' And walked over to Norman.

As she got closer she could hear what he was saying.  
"So you see, cats are actually very nice. I understand Mrs. Victoria but, they do catch mice. Yes I know."

He kept going on like this, was he practicing something? Was he crazy?

"Hey, Babcock!"

Norman flinched, straightening up while whipping his head towards Coraline. He looked a mixture of surprised and nervous.

After a moment he relaxed a bit, not too much though, and he slipped his hands into the pockets of his red jacket, avoiding eye contact. "Um, hey," he said nervously. "I'm Norman."

"I know." Coraline said crossing her arms.

Norman looked up at her confused. "Why did you call me Babcock then?"

"Cause' I felt like it; what was with the tree?"

Norman was silent for a moment looking down. "Um, cats?"

Coraline looked up at the tree seeing no cats, she gave Norman a annoyed glare and gestured up at the tree. "I see _n_o cats."

Norman looked up at the tree with a sympathetic smile. "Looks like the cats are gone."

Coraline looked around her, still no cats. "So where _ar_e the cats then?"

Norman hesitated then pointed to the playground. "There is one under the see saw."

Guess what was not there; Coraline narrowed her eyes. "Babcock, you're _lying_ aren't you."

Norman looked down and shoved his hands into his jacket. "No, I'm not."

Coraline crossed her arms. "Well, there seems to be a suspicious lack of cats for you not to be lying."

"I'm not lying."

Coraline rolled her eyes.

"I swear, I'm not."

Coraline gave Norman a annoyed look. "Look Babcock, you must be blind or something. There are no cats!"

Norman was about to say something when their parents came over.

"Come on Coraline, lets get your suit." Her mom said.

….

Their parents for some reason decided it was a good idea for them to go swimming together. Coraline figured it was so their parents wouldn't have to watch them so closely.  
She stood by the lake in her blue one piece.  
Norman nervously stood next to her in his red swim shorts.

"What, are you scared of water or something?" Coraline asked.

Norman stared at the far half of the water for a moment before realizing Coraline spoke to him. "Huh? Oh, um no."

"Then why are you all nervous Babcock?"

Norman shifted then pointed towards the far half of the lake. "I, I don't have a good feeling about that part of the lake."

To Coraline, it didn't seem that different, maybe a bit deeper, but nothing more. "If you can't swim that well, you can just say so."

"What? No, I can swim just fine."

"Then why are you so scared of the deep end?"

Norman shifted uneasily. "I never said I was scared of it, it's just, it looks unnerving."

Coraline sighed and started marching off to that part of the lake.

….

Norman called for Coraline to come back but she wouldn't listen.

He could see that many people died in that area but he didn't know why, he just hadn't had the chance to ask the spirits yet.

Norman wanted to say why he was so anxious about the lake, but this girl, that he was somehow related too, would make fun of him.

He just knew it.

Everyone makes fun of him so why wouldn't she?

Norman ran after Coraline, calling out to her. "Coraline! Stop! It's dangerous!"

Coraline wouldn't stop, apparently she is one of those people that when they have made up their minds they would stick to it, how inconvenient.

Coraline stopped at the edge of the water and after looking in for a second turned towards Norman. "There is nothing to be scared of here, it's just a _lake._"_  
_  
Norman shook his head. "Can't we just swim on the other side of it?"

Coraline jumped in.

Norman ran to the edge and getting onto his knees, he looked into the lake.

Coraline swam up and poked her head out of the water. "See! There is nothing to worry about in here!"

Norman looked into the water to see the worried faces of ghosts telling them to get away.  
The boy looked Coraline right into the eyes. "You need to get out of there."

Coraline looked exasperated. "Babcock! Just get in it's perfe-" She went under.

"Coraline!?" The spirits watched sympathetically as Coraline struggled under the water against what seemed to be dangerous seaweed wrapping itself around her legs and dragging her down.

Norman nervously watched for a second but steeled himself, held his breath, and dived in.

The water felt cold but he kept swimming past the spirits who were telling him to turn back.

When he reached Coraline her attempts were getting weaker to escape.

Norman swam farther down and started untangling her but Coraline was still kicking against the plants, and at one point his face.

He poked her and motioned for her to stop so she did after a second and he got the plants off.

But they were now grabbing Norman's arms.

Norman struggled and he tried to call out at one point but the plants held tight.

Coraline swam down and started tugging on the plants, freeing Norman.

The two of them swam up, the plants narrowly missing their feet.

When they dragged themselves onto the grass, they were gasping for air.

The cousins flopped down onto the grass, unmoving for a few minutes, just taking in what happened.

Coraline was the first to speak. "So… evil plants…"

Norman just nodded.

"I never thought that plants would have it out for me." Coraline turned her head to face Norman. "How did you know that that part of the lake was dangerous?"

Norman contemplated his answer; if he told her, she could make fun of him, possibly even worse than Alvin.

But, she could also accept him, she would eventually find out though, right?

"I, saw the ghosts in there…" Norman winced, waiting for the certain lash out.

But, he heard nothing.

He looked at Coraline who's face was just filled with confusion. "You saw the ghosts? Of dead people?"

Norman nodded. "They were all warning us to stay away, stay on the other side of the lake."

Coraline sat up. "Well Norman, I think that is pretty cool."

Norman followed suit. "You do?"

Coraline smiled. "Of course! Who wouldn't find that cool?"

Norman looked out at the lake. "No one. No one finds it cool."

Coraline's smile faltered. "Well, whether they are all idiots, or I am the idiot, I still find it cool."

Norman faced Coraline with a small smile gracing his face. "You used my actual name earlier."

"Of course, why wouldn't I?"

A/N: So apparently Fanfiction messed up this chapter and chapter 3. So sorry about that (though it was fine when I first uploaded it.) I do have a Tumblr and Wattpad also though so if something's messed up here you can find it there. Tumblr: E7y1 (Nerd trash) Wattpad: Spookcrew. Thanks for reading!


	6. The girl (Fixed the bug)

In this Mystery kid one-shot, Norman is younger!

Norman was sitting on the school bus looking at the girl across the aisle from him.  
He thought that she looked pretty cute, with her gentle blond curls and those bright green eyes.  
She never seemed to speak though, and he only ever saw her on the bus.  
But she might just be shy, Norman was so why wouldn't she?

The girl turned and looked towards Norman so he averted his gaze down, it would be weird if she knew that he was watching her.

Norman had been thinking about talking to her, but he wasn't sure what to say.  
He of course could start with 'hello' or 'hey,' but after that, he wasn't so sure about.  
If he brought up the weather, it could sound boring, 'how was school' was just too generic and 'how are you' always led nowhere.

What do you say to a girl you like?

The school bus stopped and Norman knew that he was running out of time.  
Maybe he should just wait for tomorrow, it would give him a lot of time to figure out what he wants to say.  
But…he doesn't want to wait that long.

Norman took a deep breath and while the bus was still stopped he walked over to the girl. "Hey, hey um, can I sit here with you?"

Norman hadn't noticed the light freckles sprayed across her face before, but he did notice that her eyes shown with concern, the girl slowly nodded.

Norman slid in next to her, but not before noticing the confused faces from the other kids on the bus.  
Norman sat still for a moment, he is sitting next to her!

"So… how are you?" Norman mentally cursed at himself.

"You…shouldn't be able to see me."

Norman looked at her confused. "What do you mean? I can see you perfectly fine?" Norman heard a snicker coming from the seat behind him.

"Perfectly?"

Norman nodded his head slowly.

The girl looked down. "I, I am not here."

Norman was greatly confused. "Yes you are."

The girl sighed. "I'm not really here, I'm dead."

"But, you look alive? You look like you are here?"

The girl shook her head. "If you can see me, I am guessing that you are a ghost whisperer."

"A ghost what?"

"A ghost whisperer. They can see and speak to ghosts, the last people I knew who could do that were the Prenderghast's."

"But I am not a Prenderghast! I am a Babcock. And I know you are real!"

Suddenly some kid named Alvin leaned over the back of Norman's seat. "Hey Norman, who you talking too? Some pretty girl?" He started laughing.

Norman blushed but he didn't understand why Alvin was laughing. "Um, yes, she is pretty."

"Can I meet her?"

Norman gestured at the girl. "She is right here."

Alvin laughed louder and the girl looked at Norman with sadness. "Norman, I keep telling you. I'm not real."

"Yes you are!"

Alvin wiped his tears from his eyes. "Oh yeah! She is _totally_ real Norman! Real in your head!"

Norman glared at Alvin. "She is real! Why don't either of you get that!?"

"Because she ain't!"

"She is!" Norman's hands gestured at the girl, one of his hands would have smacked the girls curls, but it went through. "What?"

Alvin laughed. "You must be blind Norman! She ain't there!"

The girl looked to be close to tears. "I, I'm sorry Norman but I am a ghost, I had to make myself intangible to you so you would understand."

Norman stared at the girl, he didn't know what to say.  
He knew he looked like a idiot, he _was _an idiot. "You, you aren't real?"

The girl shook her head. "I wish I didn't have to be the one to tell you that you can do this."

Norman looked down, how many more people are there that are ghosts?  
Was anyone in his family ghosts, maybe his parents weren't playing a lame trick on him about his grandmother?  
Norman studied the girl, she did seem to glow slightly, while Alvin was just…him.

Norman gave the girl a fake smile. "I'm glad you were the one to tell me."


End file.
